Photographic flash device



g- 1966 o. BIHLMAIER ETAL 3,267,273

PHOTOGRAPHIC FLASH DEVICE Filed Sept. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1966 o. BIHLMAIER ETAL 3,267,273

PHOTOGRAPHIC FLASH DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet .2

Filed Sept. 23, 1964 United States Patent 3,267,273 PHOTOGRAFHTC FLASH DEVTCE Oskar Bihlrnaier and Werner Utto liar, Piraunschweig, Germany, assignors to Voigtlander A.G., Braunschweig, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Sept. 23, 3964, Ser. No. 3%,590 Claims priority, application Germany, Sept. 25, W63, v 15,526 11 Claims. (Cl. 24t)l.3)

The present invention relates to photographic flash devices.

More particularly, the present invention relates to that type of photographic flash device which includes a substantially rigid reflector and a transparent protective plate capable of being situated in front of the reflector.

Protective plates of this type are well known, and they serve the purpose of protecting the reflector itself from undesirable exterior influences which might scratch or soil the reflecting surface, for example, and in addition such a protective plate provides protection against injuries which might result from splintering of the flash lamp if it should happen that it explodes. When the transparent protective plate is colored blue, it serves the additional function of converting the artificial light derived from the flash lamp into light which closely resembles daylight.

The known protective plates of the above type are either permanently fixed with the reflector or they are removable therefrom. Those protective plates which are removable from the reflector must be suitably stored when they are not used and serve no function whatsoever when the device is not used, In devices of this type there is of course the possibility that the protective plate will become lost. On the other hand, a protective plate which is permanently fixed with the reflector perhaps may not become lost and also is capable of protecting the reflecting surface even when the device is not used, but such a construction has the disadvan tage of making the device undesirably large, particularly when the protective plate has a forwardly bulging portion in order to enable the device to accommodate a flash lamp which projects forwardly beyond the space which is defined by the concave reflecting surface of the reflector.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a flash device of the above type which has a protective plate which will avoid the drawbacks of both types of known constructions referred to above.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a flash device of the above type with a protective plate which has a bulging portion, so that the device can accommodate a flash bulb which projects forwardly beyond the space defined by the concave reflecting surface of the reflector, but which at the same time when the device is not used does not provide an undesirably large device and is nevertheless still capable of protecting the reflector even though the device is not used, while at the same time there is no problem about storing the protective plate.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a flash device of the above type in which the protective plate is readily available whenever the device is to be used, so that the possibility of loss of the protective plate cannot occur with the structure of the invention.

In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a construction of the above type which is characterized by extreme simplicity as well as great reliability in the cooperation of its components.

Primarily the photographic flash device of the invention includes a substantially rigid reflector which has a front portion and a concave reflecting surface which extends ice rearwardly from the front portion and defines a predetermined space. A transparent protective plate of the device of the'invention has a bulging portion, and in accordance with the present invention a means is provided for releasably connecting the transparent protective plate to the reflector either in an inoperative position where the bulging portion of the protective plate extends into the space which is defined by the concave reflecting surface of the reflector or in an operative position where the bulging portion of the protective plate extends forwardly beyond the front portion of the reflector to enable the reflector to accommodate a flash bulb which projects forwardly beyond the space which is defined by the concave reflecting surface.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings which form part of the application and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of one possible embodiment of a structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partly sectional top plan view of the structure of FIG. 1 showing the protective plate in its inoperative position;

FIG. 3 is a partly sectional top plan view of the structure of FIG. 1 showing the protective plate in its operative position;

PEG. 4 is a front elevation of another embodiment of a structure according to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a partly sectional top plan view showing the protective plate of FIG. 4 in its inoperative position;

FIG. 6 is a partly sectional top plan view showing the protective plate of FIG. 4 in its operative position.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, there is illustrated therein a photographic flash device which has a substantially rigid reflector 1 which in fact forms also the housing of the device, and FIG. 1 shows the foot of the device which in a well known manner is to be received in a shoe mounted on the camera to which the flash device is to be attached. The reflector includes a concave reflecting surface 3, indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3, extending rearwardly from the front portion of the reflector and defining a predetermined hollow space. The central portion of the reflector 3 communicates with an opening 4 which passes from the reflecting surface 3 rearwardly through the device and is of a size suitable for receiving a flash lamp 5 in a well known manner. Within the opening 4 is situated a lamp ejector 6 which is capable of being longitudinally shifted in the opening 4. When a lamp 5 is received in the receptacle 4, the ejector 6 projects rearwardly from the device, as is apparent from FIG. 3, so that it is accessible to the operator in order to be manipulated for ejecting the lamp 5 from the receptacle 4.

The flash device includes a transparent plate 7 which is made of a body of transparent plastic and which has a dished bulging portion conforming to the configuration and size of the concave reflecting surface 3.

A means is provided for releasably mounting the trans parent protective plate 7 on the reflector either in the inoperative position of the plate 7 illustrated in FIG. 2 or in the operative position thereof illustrated in FIG. 3, and this means includes in the illustrated example a pair of diametrically opposed projections 8 and 8a of the protective plate '7 forming a pair of lugs which project slightly beyond the side edges of the housing 1 of the reflector, as shown most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3. The means for releasably mounting the plate 7 on the reflector also includes parts of the front portion of the reflector which are formed with depressions into which the lugs 8 and So can respectively be pressed so as to be clamped by the relatively rigid material of the front portion of the reflector. In this way the protective plate 7 is fixedly connected with the housing 1.

In the inoperative position of the plate 7 which is illustrated in FIG. 2, the bulging portion of the plate 7 extends into the space which is defined by the concave reflecting surface 3, and in fact it will be noted that the bulging portion of the plate 7 directly engages the refleeting surface 3 so as to form a protecting element therefor. In this position the front surface 9 of the plate 7, this front surface being annular and surrounding the concave surface of the plate 7, is flush with the front surface of the housing 1, this front surface of the housing 1 of course forming the front portion of the reflector. Therefore, in the inoperative position of the plate 7 which is illustrated in FIG. 2, this plate 7 does not in any way increase the size of the flash device.

FIG. 3 shows the protective plate turned through 180 from the position thereof shown in FIG. 2, and in the operative position of the plate 7 which is shown in FIG. 3 the space defined by the reflector surface 3 is enlarged by and communicates with the hollow interior of the bulging portion of the plate 7, and it will be noted that the flash lamp 5 extends into the hollow interior portion of the protective plate 7. The central part of the bulging portion of the plate 7 is formed with an opening 10 which passes therethrough and which receives the tip of the flash lamp 5. This opening 10 forms a discharge to prevent a possible buildup of pressure in the space defined between the reflecting surface 3 and the bulging portion of the plate 7 when the latter is in the operative position shown in FIG. 3.

Therefore, it will be seen that the protective plate 7 when it is in the operative position of FIG. 3 protects against damage which might possibly occur upon explosion of a lamp 5 when it is ignited since the plate '7 will prevent any splintering of the exploded lamp outwardly beyond the confines of the space defined between the surface 3 and the hollow interior of the plate 7. It is to be noted, in addition, that the plate 7 need not be made of a clear plastic but instead can have a blue color so that the artificial character of the light issuing from the lamp 5 when it is ignited can be converted into a light which corresponds to daylight.

In the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in FIGS. 4-6, the housing 11 also has a front portion which forms a front portion of the reflector which is relatively rigid and which includes the concave reflecting surface 12 which extends rearwardly from the front portion of the reflector and defines a predetermined space. In this case also a transparent protective plate 13 is provided with a bulging portion which in its size and configuration conforms to the size and configuration of the concave reflecting surface 12. Moreover, the peripheral edge of the plate 13 has a size and configuration which match the size and configuration of the front peripheral edge of the front portion of the reflector, which is to say the front peripheral edge of the housing 11, so that the outer edge of the plate 13 forms an extension of the exterior side and top and bottom surfaces of the housing 11, as is particularly apparent from FIG. 4.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 46, the means for releasably mounting the protective plate 13 on the reflector includes corner portions of the plate 13 which are formed with openings 14, respectively, and holding pins 15 which are fixed to and project forwardly from the front portion of the reflector which are respectively received with a fairly tight fit in the openings 14, so that in this way the reflector can carry the protective plate 13 either in the inoperative position thereof shown in FIG. 5 or in the operative position thereof shown in FIG. 6.

As apparent from FIG. 5, in the inoperative position of the protective plate 13, the bulging portion 13a thereof directly engages the entire reflecting surface 12 so as to protect the latter against scratching and the like. In the operative position of FIG. 6, where the plate 13 is displaced by 180 from the position thereof shown in FIG. 5, the outer flat peripheral portion of the plate 13 engages the front surface of the reflector and the bulging portion 13a covers the concave reflecting surface 12 as well as the lamp 5 which projects forwardly from the surface 12 into the hollow interior of the bulging portion 13a. This bulging portion 13a is also formed with a central circular opening 16 which receives the tip of the lamp 5. In the operative position of the protective plate 13 which is shown in FIG. 6, this plate also serves the purpose of protecting against splintering 0f the lamp 5 resulting from an explosion, and in addition at least the bulging portion of the plate 13 can be colored blue in the same way as the bulging portion of the plate 7 so as to convert the artificial light derived from the lamp 5 into light which corresponds to daylight.

Of course, the bulging portion of the protective plates of the invention need not have the illustrated spherical configuration. It can have any configuration conforming to that of the reflecting surface of the flash device, and the same of course applies to the configuration of the outer periphery of the protective plate which can have any configuration conforming to that of the front portion of the reflector of flash device housing. Thus, by adapting the configuration and size of the protective plate of the invention to the configuration and size of the reflector it is possible to protect the latter in the inoperative position of the protective plate while at the same time avoiding any undesirable projections of the protective plate beyond the reflector housing when the device is not used.

The invention has been illustrated as applied to flash lamps which project forwardly beyond the space defined by the concave reflectingsurface. However, the invention is equally applicable to flash devices where the flash lamp does not project outwardly beyond the hollow interior space defined by the concave reflecting surface. Moreover, the configuration of the bulging portion of the reflective plate need not, as illustrated, completely match the configuration of the reflecting surface. Instead, the bulging portion of the protective plate can have a different configuration so that for example, the particular configuration of the bulging portion of the protective plate will have a desired optical influence on the light rays which pass through the bulging portion. If this bulging portion is smaller than the reflecting surface it can still extend into the latter, so that the results of the invention can still be achieved with a construction of this latter type where the bulging portion of the protective plate serves an optical function.

It is believed to be apparent that not only is the structure of the invention exceedingly simple, but in addition the protective plate of the invention cannot become lost since it remains fastened to the reflector even when the protective plate is not in its operative position, and in addition the protective plate does not undesirably project from the reflector when the protective plate is in its inoperative position and is still capable of protecting the reflecting surface when the transparent plate is in its inoperative position. Furthermore, it is a simple matter for the operator to very quickly and conveniently place the transparent plate of the invention either in its operative position or its inoperative position.

What is claimed is:

1. In a photographic flash device, a substantially rigid reflector having a front portion and a concave reflecting surface extend-ing rearwardly from said front portion and defining a given space, a transparent protective plate having a bulging portion, and means carried in part by said reflector and in part by said plate for releasably fixing said plate to said reflector either in an inoperative position where said bulging portion of said plate extends into said space or in an operative position where said bulging portion of said plate extends upwardly from said front portion of said reflector.

2. In a device as recited in claim 1, said bulging portion of said plate having a curvature and configuration matching that of said reflector.

3. In a device as recited in claim 1, said bulging portion of said plate being formed with an opening passing therethrough.

4. In a photographic flash device, a substantially rigid reflector having a front portion and a concave reflecting surface extending rearwardly from said front portion and defining a predetermined space, a transparent protective plate having a bulging portion, and clamping means carried in part by said reflector and in part by said plate for releasably clamping said plate to said reflector either in an inoperative position where said bulging portion of said plate extends into said space or in an operative position Where said bulging portion of said plate extends forwardly from said front portion of said reflector.

5. In a photographic flash device, a substantially rigid reflector having a front portion and a concave reflecting surface extending rearwardly from said front portion and defining a predetermined space, a transparent protective plate having a bulging portion, and releasable clamping means carried at least by said plate and cooperating with said reflector for releasably clamping said plate to said reflector either in an inoperative position where said bulging portion of said plate extends into said space or in an operative position where said bulging portion of said plate projects forwardly from said front portion of said reflector.

6. In a photographic flash device, a substantially rigid reflector having a front portion and a concave reflecting surface extending rearwardly from and surrounded by said front portion, said concave reflecting surface defining a predetermined space and said front portion of said reflector being formed with depressions, and a transparent protective plate having a bulging portion and projections capable of being releasably received in said depressions, respectively, to be clamped thereby to said reflector, said projections being received in said depressions, respectively, either in an inoperative position of said plate Where said bulging portion thereof extends into said space or in an operative position of said plate where said bulging portion thereof projects forwardly from said front portion of said reflector.

7. In a device as recited in claim 6, said projections respectively having a thickness which is substantially equal to the depth of said depressions.

8. In a photographic flash device, a substantially rigid reflector having a front portion and a concave reflecting surface extending rearwardly from said front portion and defining a predetermined space, said front portion surrounding said concave reflecting surface and having an outer periphery which determines the configuration of the front of the device, a transparent protective plate having an outer peripheral edge matching the outer periphery of said front portion of said reflector and said plate having a bulging portion, and means releasably mounting said plate on said reflector either in an inoperative position where said bulging portion of said plate extends into said space or in an operative position Where said bulging portion of said plate projects forwardly from said front portion of said reflector.

9. In a device as recited in claim 8, said means for releasably mounting said plate on said reflector including a plurality of openings formed in said plate and a plurality of holding pins fixed to and projecting forwardly from said front portion of said reflector to be respectively received in said openings of said plate for releasably mounting the latter on said reflector either in said operative or in said inoperative position.

10. In a photographic flash device, a substantially rigid reflector having a front portion and a concave reflecting surface extending rearwardly from said front portion and defining a predetermined space, a transparent blue protective plate having a bulging portion, and means carried at least in part by said plate for releasably mounting the latter on said reflector either in an inoperative position where said bulging portion of said plate extends into said space or in an operative position where said bulging portion of said plate projects forwardly from said front portion of said reflector.

11. In a photographic flash device, a substantially rigid reflector having a front portion and a concave reflecting surface extending rearwardly from said front portion and defining a predetermined space, a transparent protective plate having a bulging portion, means carried at least in part by said plate for releasably mounting the latter on said reflector either in an inoperative position where said bulging portion of said plate extends into said space or in an operative position where said bulging portion of said plate extends forwardly from and is aligned with said reflecting surface, and said transparent plate being blue at least at said bulging portion thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,300,097 10/1942 Briehl 240-46.03 2,727,980 12/1955 Farber et al 240-103 X 2,734,129 2/1956 'Ka'hla 24041.55 X 3,111,274 11/1963 Turano 240-1.3 3,123,309 3/1964 Worden 240-46.23 3,180,240 4/1965 Bohme et al. 240-13 X NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A PHOTOGRAPHIC FLASH DEVICE, A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID REFLECTOR HAVING A FRONT PORTION AND A CONCAVE REFLECTING SURFACE EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM SAID FRONT PORTION AND DEFINING A GIVEN SPACE, A TRANSPARENT PROTECTIVE PLATE HAVING A BULGING PORTION, AND MEANS CARRIED IN PART BY SAID REFLECTOR AND IN PART BY SAID PLATE FOR RELEASABLY FIXING SAID PLATE TO SAID REFLECTOR EITHER IN AN INOPERATIVE POSITION WHERE SAID BULGING PORTION OF SAID PLATE EXTENDS INTO SAID SPACE OR IN AN OPERATIVE POSITION WHERE SAID BULGING PORTION OF SAID PLATE EXTENDS UPWARDLY FROM SAID FRONT PORTION OF SAID REFLECTOR. 